Accumulating mechanism



March 14, 1950 H'. S. BEATTIE ErAL 2,500,269

l ACCUMULATING MECHANISM Y Filed oct. 17, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY March 14, 1950 H. s. BEATTIE ETAL 2,500,269

ACCUMULATING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 17, 1946 'SheetS-Sheet 2 TEE Il @lib cv l Add

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ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACCUMULATIN G MECHANISM New York Application October 17, 1946, Serial No. '703,752

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to accounting machines and more particularly to the accumulating mechanism thereof.

The principal object of the invention resides in the provision of improved control mechanism for an accumulator, whereby coded or combinational designations on a record card representative of the digits may control the advance of an adding wheel to any of ten rotative positions.

In the accumulator to which the invention is applied, there is provided an adding wheel for each denominational order, with magnetically controlled coupling mechanism through which the wheel is driven from a constantly running drive s-haft. Coupling is effected under control of card designations and, after the wheel has rotated, a. magnetically controlled uncoupling mechanism causes it to stop. In handling combination designations wherein each designation has an assigned value constituting a component of the digit represented, it has been heretofore proposed to cause each designation to separately and in succession enter its assigned value (which is a component of the digit represented), so that a digit is entered in the wheel by one or more start and stop operations to sum up the separate values.

The present invention proposes to control the start and stop operations for certain of the digits, so that a first designation of a combination will cause a start operation and a succeeding designa` tion of a predetermined value will negative an invariable stop operation, so the wheel will continue to rotate and merge two steps into one.

Specifically, the adding wheel is controlled by designations combinationally represented by a 2, 1, 2, 5 code with these positions sensed in the order named, to start rotation of the adding wheel. Concurrently with the sensing of the second 2 position, the stop mechanism is invariably operated and, if there happens to be a designation in such second 2 position, the stopping action is prevented.

A specific object of the invention is to provide an accumulator Wheel with a coupling mechanism effective to start rotation of the wheel, and an uncoupling mechanism effective thereafter to stop such rotation and control devices responsive to a record designation to negative the stopping action.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the essential operating elements of one denominational order of the accumulator.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the driving clutch mechanism.

Fig. 3 constitutes a wiring diagram of the circuits for controlling the operation of the accumulating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a timing diagram.

The card In Fig. 3 is shown a portion of a record card I0 provided with vertical columns in which the digits 1 to 9 may be recorded by perforations made in a set of four horizontal rows having the values 2, 1, 2, 5 as shown. It is diagrammatically indicated that the card I0 is advanced by feed rollers I I to pass a row of sensing brushes I2 and that, after data perforations on one card have passed the brushes, there is an interval, following which corresponding perforatng positions on a following card pass the brushes. The interval between the lowest perforating rows of the successive cards is termed a cycle of operation of the machine, and this cycle is subdivided into sixteen so-called cycle points. In Fig. 4 the period in a cycle during which brushes I2 sense the 2, 1, 2, 5, value positions is shown in relation to the timing of closure of a number of cam operated contacts prefixed C, which are driven from a suitable shaft (not shown) in time with the card feed rollers to effect closure of the contacts at times indicated. lThe perforating code shown in Fig. 3 is such that a digit is represented in a perforating columnby the perforation in that position which corresponds, or those positions whose sum corresponds, to the digit to be represented.

The accumulator In Fig. 1 the driving shaft I3 is suitably geared to the card feed rollers so as to make one revolution for each cycle of operation. For each deteeth 20a adapted to be engaged by tooth 2Ia on 3 the long arm of a clutch lever 2| to hold the disk against rotation in a counterclockwise direction.

At the side of disk 20 is a register or adding wheel 24 rotatable on post I6 and provided with ten peripheral notches 24a. Wheel 24 may take any of ten rotative positions with the values 0, 1 9. A spring pressed lever 251engages with a notch 24a of wheel 24 to hold the wheel impositively and to center it in the value position into which it has been rotated. A transfer-cam 26 is xed to the side of wheel 24 and a stud 21 in wheel 24 extends through an opening in disk 20 to pivotally carry a clutchrdog 30. A spring 3| urges the tooth of dog 30 to engage ratchet |5. In the positions shown in Fig. 1, the clutch lever 2| is in declutching position, its tooth 2| is restraining rotation of disk 20 counterclockwiseand dog 30 is clear of ratchet I5. The dog 30 is being held clear of the ratchet by coaction of a pin 30h on the dog with a cam edge 26h of disk 20.

When the Vclutch lever 2| is dropped to cause its tooth 2Ia to release the disk 20 for counterclockwise movement, the spring -3-I is elective to rock the dog 30 into engagement with ratchet I5. During lthis movement of the dog 30, its pin 30h rides along the cam edge 20h and 'cams the disk counterclockwise until its tooth 26a previouslyengaged by tooth 2Ia is to the right of the latter tooth. The parts are vthen in the clutching' position shown in Fig. 2, and the register wheel 2li is coupled to the driving device I5, I1 for rotation. Through engagement of the pin 3619 of the dog 30 with cam edge 20h, `the .disk 20 is forced to rotate counterclockwise together with the register wheel.

When the clutch lever 2| is returned to upper declutching position, its tooth 2|a intercepts a tooth 20a of disk 2li and stops the disk. Register wheel 24 and dog 30 continue rotating while cam edge 26h of disk 20 cams the pin 3019 outwardly until it is again in its outer position. As the pin 30h is cammed outwardly, clutch dog 30 moves clear of ratchet I5 and declutches the register wheel from the driving means. The register wheel is Athen `held and centered lin-its new value position by lever 25. A spring urged latch 35 serves to hold lever `2| in either clutching or declutching position.

The clutch lever 2| has a short arm swiveled to the lower end of an armature 36 which is disposed between an advanced magnet AM and a stop magnet SM. Energization of magnet AM rocks armature 36 clockwise to lower `lever 2 I, and energization of magnet SM rocks armature 36 counterclockwise to raise the lever 2|.

When the wheel 24 is in its 0, 1 8 positions, the cam 26 holds a carry lever 31 pivoted at 38 in the position shown in Fig. 1 where a contact blade 89 (insulated from lever 3-1) takes a midposition between contact relements 40 and 4I. When the wheel is in its 9 position, a tooth on lever 31 is dropped into aout 26a of cam 26 and blade 39 contacts element 4I. When the wheel 24 passes from the 9 to 0 position, a rise 2Gb rocks lever 31 to cause blade 38 to engage lelement 40. When the lever is so rocked, an arm 42 integral therewith is engaged and 'held by a spring urged latch 43 which maintains the contact engagement between 39 and 46 until a pin 44 `in gear I4 strikes an arm 45 integral with the latch 43 to release lever ,42. The point in the cycle at which such unlatching occurs is indicated in the time chart in Fig. 4. The accumulator is also `provided with a mechanical knockmff or declutching mechanism which comprises three pins I, 52 and 53 secured Circuit diagram The manner 'in which digital values are entered lwill :now be explained in connection with the circuit diagram (Fig. 3) in which plug connections 36| are made between brushes I2 and sockets 62.

Current is rstplaced on main lines 63 and 64 tromafsuitable source and, as the card ID moves past brushes I2, it closes the usual card lever contacts 65.

The circuits involved in the entry oi the several :digits vwill be separatelye-Xplained in the 'following.

Digit 1.-The perforation representing digit 1 is ricade in -the 1 index point position and, when this A'position is at Vbrushes I2, a circuit is traceable from line 64, contacts .65, roller 26,6, 1 `hole in .the card, brush I2, connection `tlfsocket :62, magnet to line .63. One :step or cycle point later, contacts C2 close to energize lall `the lSM magnets in parallel, so that the coupled wheel is interrupted after onestepto entera 1 therein.

:Digit .2f-For 4digit 2, the start impulse 'to ymagnet AM occurs a step earlier so that the `wheel advances two steps before magnets SM are -energized.

Digit 3.-JIn -this case the start and stop irnpulses occur the same as for the digit 1 except that .a .second impulse is sent to magnet AM through lthe second 2 vhole concurrently vwith the stop impulse fromicontacts C2. Sineeat'this time the `arrnature 3.6 (Fig. 1) is already against the core of magnet AM, concurrent impulses 'to the AM and SM lmagnets of the same order will Vnot result in declutching of 'the accumulator wheel. The reason for .this is that fthe ,force of attraction exerted by `the AM magnet on armature 35 will :be vgreater than -that exerted by the SM magnet, because of the air gap between armature and the core or the ySM magnet. Thus, in the present case, .the impulse to magnet SM will be ineffective to interrupt rotation of the wheel. Two steps later, after a total of three steps of rotation, pin v5I will strike lever 2| and effect positive mechanical uncoupling. For ,digit 4, the action is as explained for vdigit 3 except that the start impulse .occurs .one point earlier for a total advance -of four steps.

Digits16,r7,.8 and 9..-1For these digits the operation is the same `as for digits 1, 2, 3 and 4 yrespectively with Lan additional component entry of me, .Steps occurring-later as indicated in Fig. 4; that is, kwlfienthe 5 hole is sensed, the .magnet AM is again .energized and ve steps later pin 452 effects mechanical uncoupling.

.Digit 5.-For this digit, `there is just a 5 hole which energizes the AM magnet fivesteps before pin 5,2 eiects the knockoutaction.

Digit (LT-The digit 0 is `represented bythe second 2 hole and, since this completes a circuit -to magnet AM concurrently with thecircuit to magnet SM through contact C2, the wheel remains uncoupled since the armature is against the core of magnet SM and the `greater attraction is in the directic'in to maintain the uncoupling condition.

Tens cam/. The tens carry circuits are the same as previously employed in this type of accumulator and are indicated in the circuit dia gram, and the time of operation is shown in Fig. 4. There it is represented that contacts C3 rst close to prepare the connections between successive orders so that, when contacts CI close, if any wheel has passed through O, a circuit is completed through contacts 40, 39 and C3 of the magnet AM in the next higher order. If this order happens to stand at 9, the circuit branches through its contacts 4|, 39 to magnet AM in a still higher order.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as appliedtoasinglemodication, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and cletails of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cyclically operable accumulating mechanism of the type wherein the digit entry in an accumulator element is initiated by an impulse transmitted to a start magnet and is terminated by an impulse transmitted to a stop magnet, and wherein concurrent impulses to both start and stop magnets will be ineiective to cause either initiation or termination of an entry, the combination of record controlled means for selectively transmitting an impulse to the start magnet at any of a plurality of predetermined points in a cycle of operation of the accumulator, and cyclic means for invariably transmitting an impulse to the stop magnet at one of said predetermined points, the concurrent occurrence of a record controlled start impulse at said one predetermined point being ineffective to cause initiation or termination of an entry.

2. In a cyclically operable accumulating mechanism of the type wherein the digit entry in an accumulator element is initiated by an impulse transmitted to a start magnet and is terminated by an impulse transmitted to a stop magnet, and

wherein concurrent impulses to both start and stop magnets will be ineffective to cause either initiation or termination of an entry, the combination of record controlled means for transmitting an impulse to the start magnet at a predetermined point in a cycle of operation to initiate an entry into the accumulator, cyclic means for transmitting an impulse to the stop magnet at a later point in the cycle, said record controlled means selectively transmitting a second impulse to the start magnet at said later point to negative the effect of the energization of the stop magnet, and means for terminating the entry at a still later point in the cycle.

3. In a cyclically operable accumulating mechanism of the type having an accumulator Wheel and driving mechanism therefor provided with a coupling device and an uncoupling device for respectively starting and stopping the rotation of the wheel, and in which concurrent operation of said devices will render the coupling device ineffective if the Wheel is at rest and will render the uncoupling device ineffective if the wheel is in motion, the combination of record controlled means for causing an operation of the coupling device at a predetermined point in a cycle of operation to initiate rotation of the Wheel, cyclic means for causing operation of the uncoupling device at a later point in the cycle, said record controlled means selectively causing a further operation of the coupling device at said later point to render the uncoupling device ineffective, and means for effecting uncoupling at a still later point in the cycle.

HORACE S. BEATTIE. FRANCIS E. HAMILTON. GEORGE F. DALY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,386,425 Brand Oct. 9, 1945 2,399,755 Mills et al May '7, 1946 

